Poultry, and particularly chicken, has grown in popularity in recent years as a source of animal protein in peoples' diets in the United States. It is a food that is conveniently eaten at restaurants or taken out for consumption in a picnic setting, or at home or at work.
Food, and particularly marinated meat, roasted over an open fire develops characteristic coloring and taste which causes many consumers to prefer grilled food, to meals made with the same basic ingredients, but baked or steamed.
Equipping a restaurant kitchen is an expensive undertaking. And once a commercial kitchen has been laid out and fully equipped, there may be no room to add further large pieces of equipment, such as a rotisserie.
Therefore, a restaurant operator, who has a fully equipped kitchen, faces a dilemma if its clientele develops a strong and growing taste for rotisserie-cooked chicken, if that kitchen or restaurant has no place in it to prepare such a product.
The present invention grew out of thought given by the inventors to solve that dilemma, particularly in the context of a so-called fast food or limited menu or quick service restaurant.
It should be understood, however, that the poultry subjected to the process of the invention need not be chicken. It could as well be turkey, capon, duck or the like The word "chicken", where used herein, is meant to be generic to such poultry unless the contrary is made clear in context.
Similarly, although the process was developed to be partly conducted by suppliers, and partly at a fast food restaurant, the place where the several steps are conducted could be changed without departing from the principles of the invention.
For instance, some steps could be conducted at a central commissary, and a second baking could be conducted by a consumer in the consumer's convection oven at home.
Any or all of the steps could be conducted in a grocery store, a home, a restaurant or other food preparation facility.